SWEIDA, SYRIA – Leading Druze spiritual authorities in Syria have issued an urgent appeal to the international community, requesting immediate intervention by multinational peacekeeping forces as Iranian-backed terror organizations expand their foothold in the war-torn region. The unprecedented public plea comes amid escalating threats to minority groups in southern Syria—a key junction in the broader conflict imposed by Iran and its terror proxies against Israel and its neighbors.
The Druze, a distinct religious and ethnic minority native to the Levant with a significant population centered in the Sweida district, now find themselves caught between the fragmented remnants of the Syrian state and the growing reach of sectarian militias loyal to Tehran. Recent months have seen a surge in violence targeting Druze towns, intimidation campaigns, and encroachment by Hezbollah, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and affiliated entities. The situation, described by community representatives and independent observers as increasingly perilous, has prompted Druze leaders to break a longstanding policy of cautious neutrality and instead petition for international guarantees of their safety.
A Strategic Flashpoint
The renewed insecurity in southern Syria cannot be understood in isolation. Since the outbreak of the Iron Swords War between Israel and Hamas—triggered by the October 7th, 2023 massacre, the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—the Assad regime has steadily lost control over portions of the south. Iran, exploiting the security vacuum, has entrenched its operatives along the Jordanian and Israeli borders. Their objective is clear: fortify its ‘Axis of Resistance’ while staging attacks against Israel and stymying regional normalization efforts. This instability threatens not only the Druze, but the entire post-war order in the Levant.
While Assad’s government often claims to offer protection for minorities, the record since 2011 reveals that Syrian security services have at times tolerated or enabled foreign-led militia encroachment in exchange for support in the civil war. Russian military cover, once vital for regime survival, has been partially diverted by commitments in Ukraine, leaving the door open for Iranian proxies to fill the power vacuum. Humanitarian groups and local monitors report an uptick in abductions, targeted killings, and the forced recruitment of minority youth by militias with allegiance to Iran and Hezbollah—not by indigenous or nationalist actors.
Druze Vulnerability and the Larger Conflict
The precarious situation of the Druze reflects wider regional dynamics. The community has historically maintained a delicate balance of pragmatic coexistence with local powers and deterrence against external threats—be they Ottoman, colonial, or modern-day regimes. During the Syrian civil war, Druze towns negotiated local truces while avoiding direct confrontation. Today, this autonomy is at risk, as the Iranian push for a contiguous axis from Tehran to Beirut engulfs minority regions previously buffered from front-line hostilities.
Israel, whose border lies just a short distance from Sweida, regards the Iranian military buildup, weapons smuggling, and terror infrastructure inside Syria as a red line. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), under the leadership of Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, have intensified operations to intercept missile transfers and neutralize hostile threats on both the Syrian and Lebanese fronts. Defense officials note that unchecked terror activity in Syria—especially when it targets vulnerable minorities—poses a grave risk of escalation that could trigger wider confrontation.
International Law and Moral Responsibility
The call by Druze spiritual leaders for international intervention is consistent with longstanding principles of minority protection under international law. The Genocide Convention and multiple Security Council resolutions obligate world powers to avert genocidal violence and mass atrocities. Yet successful intervention has often proved elusive, hobbled by geopolitical divisions at the United Nations and practical obstacles to deploying peacekeepers in active conflict zones. Analysts warn that, without focused diplomatic action and robust deterrence, the fate of the Druze could mirror that suffered by Christians and Yazidis during earlier phases of Syria and Iraq’s conflicts.
Regional Response and Prospects for Action
Neighboring Jordan has ramped up border security, fearing the spillover of instability and refugee flows. Israel, applying both military and humanitarian tools, is on high alert for any movement of Iranian weapons or terror cells near its territory. Quiet coordination exists between Israeli units and non-combatant Druze interlocutors, reflecting shared concerns. The United States, the European Union, and select Arab states have voiced alarm but lack a unified strategy to deter further Iranian encroachment or assure the safety of besieged minorities.
For the Druze, the consequences of inaction would be dire—forced displacement, loss of communal self-rule, and intensified terror attacks are all plausible outcomes should the international community fail to intervene.
Conclusion
The appeal by Syria’s Druze spiritual authorities for international intervention is a stark warning about the broader consequences of persistent Iranian-backed terrorism and the erosion of state sovereignty in the region. As Iran deepens its campaign against Israel and allies through proxies and sectarian militias—with the Syrian battlefront serving as a key staging ground—minorities such as the Druze stand at acute risk. Addressing their plight, through coordinated diplomatic, security, and humanitarian measures, is both a moral obligation and a matter of urgent strategic necessity for any party invested in regional stability and the principles of self-defense and coexistence.
